Abu Dhabi plans to focus on visitors from India, China, Africa and the Arabian Gulf to compensate for a fall in Russian tourists and to fill thousands of hotel rooms that are expected to enter the market.
About 8,000 new rooms are expected to open in the next five years, according to Sultan Al Dhaheri, the executive director at the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi).
This supply before Expo 2020 will drive rates down but with the attractions on Saadiyat and expansion of Etihad Airways, demand will meet up with supply, he said.
“The strong US dollar and economic slowdown globally are affecting spending and the length of stay, but we are focusing on markets that will grow, which will compensate [for the drop elsewhere],” Mr Al Dhaheri said. “The ratio of the leisure market is growing and we are trying to build a healthy mix of leisure, corporate and [meetings, incentives, conferences and events] segments here.”
For the next two to three years, the Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau will focus on education, health and energy sectors in the events space, said Mubarak Al Shamsi, the director of the bureau. He was talking on the sidelines of IBTM Arabia, a three-day event about conventions that started on Tuesday in the capital.
Eight hotels and hotel apartments opened in the capital last year, taking the total room count to 29,760, up 4.6 per cent from 2014. New properties include Jannah Burj Al Sarab, Courtyard by Marriott World Trade Center and Capital Centre Arjaan by Rotana, adjacent to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.
Abu Dhabi also met its target of 4.1 million tourists last year, up 18 per cent on the previous year.
The emirate received the most guests from within the UAE, whose numbers increased by 20 per cent on 2014 to 1.37 million. India was the best-performing overseas market last year, with 280,000 visitors, up 21 per cent on 2014. It was followed by the UK, China, the United States and the Philippines.
Low oil prices and a global economic slowdown took a toll on the numbers from Russia. Guests from the country were down 17 per cent last year compared to 2014, touching 25,118. The number of guests from Ukraine, however, increased by 25 per cent, according to Edward Grigoriev, TCA Abu Dhabi’s country manager for Russia and CIS.
“We are focusing on CIS countries and high-end travellers from Russia and the region,” Mr Al Daheri said.
Compared to Egypt, Abu Dhabi is still an expensive market. Where all-inclusive rooms in Egypt can cost US$50 a night for Russian travellers including airfare, a three-star hotel in Abu Dhabi costs $85 a night without airfare.
The Russian market is expected to grow by 10 per cent to 30,000 tourists this year, Mr Grigoriev said.
There is a gap, however, in the number of flights between Abu Dhabi and the region.
Etihad, in September, cancelled flights to Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, and scrapped plans to operate flights to Baku in Azerbaijan and Tbilisi, Georgia.
To drive up the length of stay, Abu Dhabi is encouraging tour packages of the city with the Western Region and Al Ain.
The average occupancy rate increased by 1 per cent to touch 75.4 per cent. The average length of stay decreased by 0.3 per cent to 2.99 nights from 3.13 nights.
“Our vast geography and diversity is a unique selling point,” Mr Al Daheri said.
The hotel revenue in Abu Dhabi went up by 5 per cent last year to Dh6.62 billion as room revenue rose by 7 per cent to Dh3.49bn over 2014. This compensated for the fall in food and beverage revenue to Dh2.32bn, a decrease of 1 per cent. The average room rate in Abu Dhabi was Dh430 a night, a drop of 0.6 per cent from 2014.
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A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
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Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The Facility’s Versatility
Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.
Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.
For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae
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Common%20symptoms%20of%20MS
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Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
Company Profile
Company name: Fine Diner
Started: March, 2020
Co-founders: Sami Elayan, Saed Elayan and Zaid Azzouka
Based: Dubai
Industry: Technology and food delivery
Initial investment: Dh75,000
Investor: Dtec Startupbootcamp
Future plan: Looking to raise $400,000
Total sales: Over 1,000 deliveries in three months
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
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THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
The specs: 2018 Range Rover Velar R-Dynamic HSE
Price, base / as tested: Dh263,235 / Dh420,000
Engine: 3.0-litre supercharged V6
Power 375hp @ 6,500rpm
Torque: 450Nm @ 3,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 9.4L / 100kms
